Tiny Moving Parts - This Couch Is Long And...

Tiny Moving Parts - This Couch Is Long And Full Of FriendshipRecord Label: Atlas Records/Opacity Records
Release Date: January 13, 2013

You’ve probably never heard of Tiny Moving Parts. They’re the sort of band that you might stumble across if you’re pretty heavily into your emo, but otherwise, your life is probably lacking Tiny Moving Parts. Well, now’s the time to fix this. The Minnesota band have just released This Couch Is Long And Full Of Friendship and if you’re planning on listening to only one midwest emo/skramz/twinkle daddy record this year, then this record is probably your best bet. Tiny Moving Parts, despite their young age and relative lack of experience have created one of the best records that this scene has seen in quite a while.

This Couch Is Long And Full Of Friendship further develops the sound that the band built up on 2010’s Moving To Antarctica. The record is a melding together of all of the different parts of the genre; occasionally twinkly guitars make way for walls of sound, spoken vocals make way for screaming, and the lyrics set positive and negative out alongside one another, whilst always wrapped up in a layer of likeability and realism. Opener “Dakota” sets the album off to a smooth start of spoken vocals and soft guitars before building up to the rest of the release. Throughout the album, things never get too fast or too loud, but this certainly isn’t a quiet record. “Along The Lakeside” and “Vacation Bible School” are both extremely heavy tracks, but Tiny Moving Parts have an ability to control the loudness and channel it through melody and a somewhat inexplicable catchiness. Whilst, overall, the album is quite spasmodic, it never becomes challenging or inaccessible, thanks to both Tiny Moving Parts ability to rein themselves in at the right time, and also their heartfelt songwriting.

Throughout the release, the listener is greeted by a barrage of highlights. The aforementioned “Along The Lakeside” is absolutely wonderful. The track is fashioned in a start stop mode, with its jerkiness giving it a strange groove, that leaves the listener tapping their foot whilst still crying about the futility of life. This part of the review is where I usually go on to talk about the best tracks of the album and then I touch on the weaker tracks and where they could have been better. I’m not doing that this time, though. All of the tracks are highlights, without failure. Tiny Moving Parts have crafted a very rare excellent album, and as someone who spends way too much time listening to sad boys screaming down microphones, I find this album to be better than the 99% of its peers.

Overall, if I sound like I’m fangirling, damn right I am. This Couch Is Long And Full Of Friendship is absolutely a credit to its creators and is an album that everyone should check out. If you’re looking for your new favourite band, looking to get into this sort of music, or just looking for something to listen to, Tiny Moving Parts are the best new band you’ll have the luck of stumble across. Watch out for these guys in the future.

Just listened to this from start to finish based on the RIYL. I was expecting a few good moments and the odd song to stand out, but this was absolutely fantastic. Really hoping a CD release of this is out soon.

Just listened to this from start to finish based on the RIYL. I was expecting a few good moments and the odd song to stand out, but this was absolutely fantastic. Really hoping a CD release of this is out soon.

Wow this band is fantastic! I just finished listening to the whole album and was very impressed. It was a little odd upon first hearing his vocals and wasn't sure how I'd like the band but things quickly changed. Great level of control in dynamics and will definitely be buying this. Thanks for the review Kelly and share.